I have a doggy adoption question.

One other possibility is to go to a purebred rescue group for a Rottweiler. Look on the web for Rottweiler rescue in your state.

You have to let your heart do 90 percent of the thinking. You have to be willing to love anyone you bring home. But keep your head involved with 10 percent of the decision. The most loved dog in the wrong environment isn’t going to be happy. Do it for the guy or guys you bring home.

You’ll know, when you see the dog and spend some time with it. I have always adopted from shelters and while it is important to be sure you can make a commitment to pet ownership, aside from the unexpected, which happens, personally I have found most rescue groups to be militant fanatics that make adopting a pet harder than adopting a child.

They may mean well but the majority of these groups are made up of extremely neurotic, controlling and obsessive people. That has been my experience.

Hardest advice. Make sure you’re using your head not your heart.
My habit used to be to want the dog that seemed to need me the most, the one in the most danger of being euthanized.
I have learned to be a little more selfish. Think about how much care the dog will need, if it will fit with YOUR lifestyle.

Have an idea of your needs before you go and stick to the shelter survey that tries to frame those needs/want with a series of questions you need to answer.

Try bonding with the dog and taking a test walk also. The fit is never perfect but most dogs are trainable and all shelter dogs need that second ( or sometime third ) chance. Don’t worry about breaking down as that happens at shelters all the time. As stated above there are specific breed rescues for dogs.

All shelters have a return period also.

When you see the dog you will know, so take your time and ” shop ” around a bit.

@Judi pick the one that needs you the most. How true. Tigger was a week overdo to be put down. We got to the shelter on Saturday and she was scheduled for Monday. Couldn’t let that happen to a 6 month old Pit/boxer. When she was little she adopted my cats. She was their mother and she loved them until she died. Never had any instance of biting or meanness. Whatever you decide, you will know in your heart it is the right fit. Remember, all they ask is to be loved and taken care of. good luck.

Remember that being in a shelter is a traumatic experience for a dog or cat. The animal you see might not be the same once in a stable environment.

Ask to see the shelter records for the animal.

We found out, on our way out the door, that our dog was the most hyper dog they had ever seen. Wish they had told us before bonded, had the dog fixed, paid our money and were walking out the door.

I made hubs do it, I was completely overwhelmed with all the sweet faces.

@KNOWITALL my hubby is worse than me. When we got a dog from the shelter, he looked at it and said let’s just take it out of the cage and see what happens. In the car, on the way home, the dog ate a coffee cup and chewed a soda can to next to nothing. I knew from the moment it stepped out of the cage, it was never going back. Best decision he ever made, except for me that is. :)

If at all possible, find a rescue/shelter that allows you to foster for a day or two so you can see if the dog is a fit for you and vice versa. Your best bet would be a breed specific rescue.

Another possibility

Check the characteristics of different breeds and see what will fit into your environment. There’s no point in having a dog that needs to run a lot or a huge animal or one that sheds or one that barks incessantly in a small apartment. All puppies are cute. Be practical about choosing a breed.

We like to go to the local shelter every so often just to cuddle all the puppies and kitties. We went one day specifically looking to adopt a puppy. There were two litters of pups and I held them all and couldn’t really decide. I went back to the first litter as we were about to leave empty handed, and there was a new puppy there (someone must’ve been holding it while I was making my rounds).

These 8-week-old puppies were listed as a border collie mixes, but we were looking for a smaller breed. I checked her out anyway and she was completely limp in my hand; we couldn’t get her to wake up. I was worried at first because I thought she was sick, but I was informed that she just got done playing and was exhausted. She was so cute and I knew I couldn’t leave without her.

We were in for a big surprise. I thought we’d have a calm, quiet pup. Nope! She was hyper and constantly full of energy. Eight months, 33 lbs, and a hip dysplasia diagnosis later, she’s still a playful thing, but she’s a sweetheart. I can’t imagine us ending up with a different pet. We love her to death.

Thank you all SO MUCH. You’ve been more than helpful, as I knew you would be. :0)

We’ll probably wait until spring to start looking, but I’m already planning. I’m super excited!

I just adopted my Frodo. He was in a foster home with many other dogs after being rescued from a shelter. I went to the foster mother’s house who let me interview several small dogs by walking them individually on a leash. Frodo was about the fourth dog I interviewed and I came back up the street carrying him in my arms. Have an idea what size and temperament you are looking for when you go in and then the right dog and you will find each other.

Rotties are great dogs with the right owner. They are very loving and tremendously loyal.

Temperament wise they are not the easiest to train because they are hard headed and stubborn as hell.

If you’ve never owned or trained a dog before this would be like jumping into the deep end of the pool without knowing how to swim.

Every dog breed or mixed breed has its pluses and downsides. Some of the better managed shelters have adoption counselors on hand who will ask you lots of questions and try to steer you toward dogs which they feel might be a good fit.

But it will still end up being a decision of the heart.

If you do end up getting a Rottie, please spend the time and money to train him even if it means hiring a professional dog trainer to train BOTH of you. They are big dogs and really do need training in order to flourish and be really happy.

I agree with @Buttonstc

My first dog was a crazy hound dog.
He was a mix of two hunting hound breeds ( Walker & Plott ) and I had no idea what I was getting into with one of the most stubborn, low pleasing and independent breeds. He was a great dog imany ways but waaay too much dog for me. He was an adorable, floppy eared pup and a maniacal, mind blowingly loud and high energy adult.

Many breeds are low on their desire to please, others more likely to have that drive. Hounds and cattle dogs and many working breeds like rotties are not super high in the people pleasing level.
They are boneheaded, stubborn and do what they please types.
You need a firm hand, consistency and, ideally, formal training to get the best out of them with as few behavioral issues as possible.

My dog went through puppy and adult obedience classes and he was still a very
challenging dog to manage. He was loveable, drop dead, stunningly, gorgeous and completely insane. lol

I got my Staffy from a rescue and while I loved all the dogs there and could have easily taken any of them home, there was something special about Zara so the decision was easy. I think it’s more important to be honest about your living arrangements and what you can/cannot offer the dog so the centre can make educated suggestions about which dog would be best suited to you. It’s all very well falling in love with a dog because they are cute and look sad behind those bars but if they won’t fit in to your life then you wouldn’t be doing it any favours in the long run. I hope you find that special dog like I did with Zara. Keep us informed :)